Sharlee,

Welcome to this site -- I'm very sorry you need to be here, but I'm glad you found us early in your diagnosis. It sounds as though you've already had part of your tongue removed (when they biopsied it) -- can you tell us a bit more about where on your tongue the tumor is and what your doctors know so far from the pathology reports?

Also, are you being treated at a major cancer center? (There is a list of NCI-designated cancer centers under "Other Resources" on this site.) If not, I would strongly urge you to get a second opinion from one that is (hopefully) not too far from where you live. This disease is best treated by medical teams that deal constantly with head and neck cancer cases. What area of upstate NY do you live in? We have quite a few posters from various parts of upstate NY who may be able to give you suggestions if you need to find a place for a second opinion.

In the meantime, please don't panic. There are many of us here who have survived the treatment and recovered well, and want to give you the support you need. If you haven't yet looked at the vast amounts of oral cancer information that you can find from the home page of this site, by all means check it out, as it will give you plenty of background on the nature of this disease and how to fight it. Feel free to keep posting your questions here, as there will almost always be someone who has been through what you are experiencing.

Cathy